Shawarma Rice Bowls

As farmers, we tend to work long hours during the summer months, so we don't often have the energy to cook elaborate meals at the end of the day. We're always on the hunt for fast dinner recipes that are simple to make, yet don't lack in the taste department. These shawarma rice bowls are just that: ready in 20 minutes, requiring very little effort to prepare, and packed with Middle Eastern flavors! (This recipe is also a favorite of ours because it helps us use up some of the odd packs of ground goat that we always seem to have floating around our freezers.)

What you'll need for this recipe:

• Ground goat

• Jasmine rice

• Butter

• Greek yogurt

• Lemon juice

• Cinnamon

• Cardamom

• Turmeric

• Ginger

• Smoked paprika

• Cumin

• Pepper

• Garlic powder

• Vegetable(s) of your choice

Steps to prepare rice bowls:

1. Combine 1 cup of jasmine rice with 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

2. In a frying pan over medium heat, brown 1 pound of ground goat. In a small jar, combine 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom, 1 1/2 teaspoons of turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and a large pinch of salt. Once the meat is thoroughly browned, add the spices to the frying pan and stir to incorporate. Add a splash of water to the frying pan to loosen any spices that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking for an additional one to two minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in another jar, combine 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt with the juice from a quarter of a lemon. Add as much garlic powder as you'd like, and then mix. Add water a splash at a time until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (similar to a crema).

4. Wash and roughly chop the vegetables you've chosen to garnish with. Our favorite thing to use is green onions, but you could use tomatoes, radishes, cilantro, peppers... The possibilities are endless.

5. Once the rice has fully cooked, add a tablespoon of butter to the pot and fluff it with a fork. Divide the rice into four bowls, then top with the seasoned goat, yogurt sauce, and chopped vegetables, and serve.

Note: the spice blend used to season the goat meat comes from this Minimalist Baker post. We omit the coriander simply because we never seem to have it in our spice cabinet. Definitely add it if you have it!